Steam-impelled motive apparatus



April s, 1927.A

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STEAM IMPELLED MOTIVE APPARATUS Filed June 17 19251 Patented Apr. 5,1927.

UNITED STATES `CHARLES v. HAYNEs, 0F annivronn,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HOFFMAN SPEu CIALTY COMPANY, OF WATERBURY,CONNECTICUT, A CORIORA'IION 0F ILLINOIS.

STEAM-IMPELLED MOTIVI-3 APPARATUS.'

Application filed June 17,1925; Serial No. 37,603.

regulators for steam boilers, ot which the steam impelled motive memberis usually a Hexible rubber `or metallic diaphragm eX-k tending acrossthe bottom of a closed chamber and held in leakage-tight contact withthewalls ot the chamber. The embodiment of the present invention which Ihave illustrated in this specification has been designed more especiallyfor use as a damper regulator, wherefore in the tollowingdetail description I shall gelierally refer to the apparatus as a` damperregulator, but without implying therebyany restriction in the protectionwhich I claim, beyond that set forth `in the claims as construed withrespect to the prior art. Furthermore, the `movable steam actuated partof the regulator herein shown is a rubber or metallic diaphragm; but Iinclude within thescope ot the invention which I claim,iall equivalentsfor such a diaphragm.

The object ot the invention is to overcome theisluggishness otregulators and equivalent apparatus ot the sort above referred to.` Suchsluggishness is due to the fact that water of condensation` collectsfinthe pressure chamber, and rests on the movable diaphragm; and that thevolume and weight of the `water thus collecting may vary, being greaterwhen the diaphragm is depressed than when the diaphragm is raised. Theeffect oit this condition with the regulators heretofore used is that,it' the regulator is moved when the steam pressure reaches a certainintensity, the subsequent accretions 'of water to the quantity restingon the diaphragm increase the resistance to the counter force whichtends to return the diaphragm, so that the previous condition of theregulating apparatus will not be restored until the steam pressure hasdropped to a point lower than the pressure which caused the initialdisplacement ot the diaphragm. This condition has been 4a seriousdrawback in connection with pressure operated damper regulatorsfor steamboilers, sincey it hasmade impossiblethe automatic yated member.

maintenance of a substantially uniform steam pressure. This drawback isespecially serious withI heating systems ot the .so-calledvaporz'heatingclass, which are designed to operatewith a workingpressure of only a few ounces, because the pressure duc totheaccumulation of water in the circumstances above described bears arelatively large ratio to the pressure which'it is desired to main`tainA in the` boiler.

For reasons well understood in the art, it 1s necessaryor desirableinsteam operated regulatorsot the sort with which this invention isconcerned, to locate the diaphragm belowl the only connection orconnections through which: water ot condensation can drain out of thepressure chamber, whereby a body otwater. resting on the diaphragmisalways maintained and an unavoidable continuing accumulation ot water,due to condensation of steam, takes place in the chamber afterdepression of the diaphragm. The problem which Il have solved by thisinvention has been to limit and control the accretions of watersupport-ed by the diaphragm, while at the same time retaining thedesiredpresence of water over the diaphragm. My invention by which Ihave solved this problem `and accomplished the object above stated,comprises the use of ya displacer in connection with an internalpressure actuated member, in. aclosed steam chamber,` arrangedand actingto displace from the chamber, or prevent accumulations therein,a volumeof water bearing a desired ratio to the displacement volume ot thepressure actuated member,v and permissibly equalto; or less than, orgreater than, the displacementvolume ot said pressure actu- I will nowdescribe the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed withf referencev to the drawings.

In th-efdrawings:

Figurel represents so much of a damper regulator for steam boilers as isnecessary tor explanation; y `showing the pressure chamber in crosssection and the movable parts in the position taken when the steampressure` isbelow the pointat which it operates .the apparatus;

Fig.f2,is a similar view showing the condition of the apparatus afterdisplacement by steam pressure; y

Fig. isa perspective view of the water displacer shown in the precedingfigures.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occurin all the figures.

The numeral represents a suitable casing enclosing a chamber, across thelower part of which a flexible diaphragm 11 is placed. The diaphragm maybe made wholly or partly of vulcanized rubber composition, or of anyother material or structure suitable for the purpose. lt is` secured atits periphery to the casing by a bottom head or wall 12, being grippedbetween llanges 13 and 14: on the casing and head respectively, whichflanges are fastened together by bolts 15. A perforated rigid plate 1Gis mounted over the diaphragn'i, substantially as shown, to protect thediaphragm. A head 17, having a substantial area, bears on the under sideof the diaphragm and is formed with a stem 18 projecting through thecasing head or wall 12 and bearing on an arm 19 pivoted at 2O to a plateor holder 21 which is secured to t-he wall 12 in a manner permitting anangular adjustment about the axis of the chamber. There is secured tothe arm 19, in a manner permitting it to be adjusted endwise, a bar 22on which is mounted a weight 23 which is adjustable lengthwise of thebar. The bar is provided to transmit motion from the diaphragm to thedampers or other draft controlling means of a steam boiler, and typifiesany means which may be operated or controlled by movements on thediaphragm. The. weight 28 typiiies means for applying a counter force tothe diaphragm in opposition to the steam pre-ssure, and also typifiesmeans for regulating or determining the steam pressure which will causethe diaphragm to be displaced.

As thus far described, the apparatus is substantially like damperregulators heretofore used, and may be understood as connected in anyusual way with regulating dampers or valves.

F rom the side of the casing I() there eX- tends a boss 24; to receive apipe leading from the boiler or other source of steam pressure, suchboss and pipe being large enough to conduct steam to the regulatorwithout sensible drop in pressure. The steam entrance to the chamber,however, is through a gateway 25 at the desired height above theuppermost position of the diaphragm. This gateway is also the drainageoutlet for return of water o1 condensation to the boiler connection. Thepiping between the regulator and the boiler is, in part at least, lowerthan the bottom of the gateway 25 at all points in the length oit' suchpiping, whereby said gateway establishes the maximum height to whichwater may rise in the pressure chamber.

lVhen the apparatus is in operationy it is in open connection with theboiler, and the condensation ol1 steam inthe chamber maintains a body ofwater above the diaphragm up to the level thus limited.

It will be readily apparent by comparison ot' Figures 1 and 2 that whenthe diaphragm is displaced downward, it substantially enlarges thevolume ci: the chamber below the level of the gate 25. Such enlargementI will call the Ydisplacement volume of the diaphragn'i. lVhen thediaphragms ot regulaters as heretofore used remain displaced in themanner illustrated in Figure 2, toi' any considerable length of time,continuing steam condensation adds to the water body, and it thecondition exists long enough, the accumulating water may rise to thelevel oit the gate, thus adding to the water on the diaphragm a furtherquantity equal to the 'total displacement volume of the diaphragm.

rlhe weight of this additional volume ot' water must be lifted by thecounter force of the weight 23 in again raising the diaphragm after theboiler pressure has subsided; and it delaysv the raising of thediaphragm until the boiler pressure has subsided by an amount equal tothe weight (per unit oi area ot the diaphragm) ot',the additional water.

"he means by which I prevent such increase of weight on the diaphragm,comprises a displacer 26 which, as shown here, is provided with orconnected to a central stem 2T resting on the diaphragm and guided belowby a central hole in the plate 16, and guided above the displacer by aguideway 28 in the top wall of the casing. The displacer is thus causedto descend and rise by and with the diaphragm and to the same extent. Inthe present illustration the displacer is a disk made as a metal castinghaving an impervious bottom and a rising peripheral lip 29, and itsdimensions are of such value that its geometrical or space volume, bywhich I mean the volume included between the lower side of its bottom,the outer surface of said lip, and the plane in which the upper edge ofsaid lip lies, bears the desired ratio to the displacement volume or'the diaphragm; being preferably substantially equal to such displacementvolume, although it may be greater or less in any desired measure. Inthe preferred construction the solid material ot the displacer is maderelatively thin` in order that its weight may not be excessive, and inthe space surrounded by the lip 29 are ribs which stili'en the structureand leave p ckets in which water may collect by condensation or bvoverl'low when the displacer is lowered. Und r the conditions o i'' usethe displacer is a member having a constant volume and weight.

The displacer is so related to the diaphragm that, when the diaphragm isfully 'aised, the bottom of the displacer is at the level of the bottomof the gateway 25, that is, at the maximum height to which water may becontained in the chamber. Then as the diaphragm descends, the'displaceroccupies part of the space below such maximum water-level, reducing thevolume of such space in its upper part at the same time that thespace isenlarged at the lower part, and in substantially equal measure. y

' It is to he understood that the weight 23 will be adjusted to counterbalancew the weight of the diaphragm, displacer4 and accumulated water,plus any steam pressure lower than. that at which the apparatus isdesigned to operate. After displacement `of the diaphragm, by steampressure above the predetermined degree, the dead weight of diaphragm,displacer and water supported by the diaphragm remain substantially thesame as before; that is, when the displacer volume is substantiallyequal to the displacement `volume ot' the diaphragmA` and there is noopportunity for more water to collect and increase the dead weight onthe diaphragm. Thus the regula-tor is equally sensitive in responding toa decreasing pressure condition, after having been displaced, as to anincreasing pressure condition.

In order to make the displacer somewhat heavier than the water which itdisplaces, but not much heavier, I have constructed it as a shell ofmaterial heavier than water and suitably formed to hold water, but withits structural material comprising vonly a relatively small part of itstotal space or displacement volume; at the .same time making it rigidenough to meet the conditions of use. Equality or excess of weight inthe displacer,` as compared with the weight of the displaced or excludedwater, has the practical utility of causing the displacer to descendwith the diaphragm by gravity and avoiding need of any draft connectionwith the diaphragm. It will be noted that ample space for passage ofsteam is lelt between the periphery of the displacer and the walls ofthe chamber. whereby the steam pressure acts equally on both sides ofthe displacer.

The same invention, operating according to the principles abovedescribed, may be also applied to the purpose of causingl a gradualclosing of the dampers with an 1ncreasing steam pressure, and a gradualopening oi' the dampers again; or oi? causing a partialv rather than acomplete closing of the dampers when the pressure reaches a certainheight. This eliect may be produced by making the displacer with alarger volume than the displacement volume ot the diaphragm, and soshaping the displacer that, as it descends, it forces some of the Waterout of the chamber and thus reduces theA dead 'weight onthe diaphragm,causing the diaphragm to be `arrested .before reaching `the end 'et itspossible rangeot' movement. On the other hand, 'by making. the displacerof less .sure chamber having a steam connection,

a downwardly 'movable member closing said chamber below said steamconnection, yieldable means constantly tending to move said memberupward, and a displacer movable across the levelforl said steamconnection in unison with movements of the aforesaid movable` member.

2. A steam impelled motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber havingat its bottom a movable diaphragm and having a lateral opening arrangedto establish a maximum level to which waterk accumulating on thediaphragm may rise, and a vdisplacer movable upward and downward inunison with t-he diaphragm and arranged to occupy an increasingly largepart of the water containable space in the chamber in consequence ot itsdownward movement.

3. A steam impelled motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber' havingat its bottom a downwardly and upwardly movable diaphragm,` said chamberhaving an opening at a level above the diaphragm through whichaccumulated water of condensation may escape, and by which the upperlimit of the water containing space in the chamber is established, meansarranged to exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter' to the steampressure and a displacer in the chamber arranged and operating to move,in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit.

4Q A steam impelled lnotive apparatus comprising a steam chamber havingat its bottoml'a downwardl and upwardly movable diaphragm, said chamberhaving an opening at a level above the Idiaphragm through whichaccumulated water of condensation may escape, and by which'the upperlimit ofthe water containing space in the chamber is established, meansarranged to exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter' to the steampressure, and a displacer in the chamber arranged and operating to move,in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit, the volume ofthat part of the displacer which so moves across said upper limitbearing a predetermined relation to the displace.- mentvolume of thediaphragm.. u

5: A steam impellfe-d motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber havingat its bottoni a` downwardly and upwardly movable diaphragm, saidchamber having an opening at a level above the diaphragm through whichaccumulated Water of condensation may escape, and by which the upperlimit of the water containing space in the chamber is established, meansarrangedto exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter to thel steampressure, and a displacer in the chamber arranged and. operating tomove, in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit, thatportion of saidy dispel-acer which so movesv across said upper limitbeing sub- Lema/is stantially equal in volume to the displace,- ment'volume of the diaphragm.

6. The combination With a steam chamber having a. diaphragm at itsbottom of a displacer movable in unison with said diaphragm and disposedto! limit accumulation of water of condensation on said' diaphragm.

7. The combination with a diaphragm in a steam impelled motiveapparatus, of a displacer comprising a shell of solid material havingprovisions 'for holding water,

the volume of said displacer, including the Water content thereof, beingsubstantially equal to the displacement volume oi the diaphragm.

In testimony whereof l have ailixed my signature.

CHARLES Y. HAYNES..

